Closure for automatic sprinklers.



, INMENZ'UH;

PATENTED JULY 2, 1907 w. A. SHORT. CLOSURE FOR AUTOMATIC SPRINKLBRS.

'APPLIOATIOE FILED JAN. 31. 1907.

WI Z'NEEEEE STATES time ()FF'I E;

WILLARD ass oar, or SEEKONK, MASSACHUSETTS, kssre'n'os OF ONE-HALF TQHARRY:

- o. ARNOLD. or PROVilDENCE, RHODE'ISVLAN'D.

f cnosnnn son 'Au'ronn'rro ssnn'rxrgnnm matic Sprinklers, of which the following is a "specification.

This invention has reference to an improvement in closures and more particularly to an improvement in closures for automatic fire extinguishers or sprinklers. The object of my'invention is to prevent unnecessary or excessive damage from waterthrough the accidental opening of anautomatic sprinkler or spi inklers caused by the heat from a lantern, candle or gas jet carelessly left under thesarne, or in any way otherwise than from tended to extinguish.

My invention consists in the peculiar and novel construction of a closure adapted to close the orifice of an automatic sprinkler, when the. sprinkler has opened through any means other than from the heat of an actual fire which the sprinkler is intended to ex! ti nguish, said closure having details of construction,

as will be more fully set forth hereinafter and claimed. Figure 1 is a side view of my. improved closure for Specification of Letters Patent. Auphcstion fild'Junuai-y 31, 1907. Serial No- 855.048;

'on actuafconfiagration, which the sprinklers are in-- automatic sprinklers. Fig. 2 is a top view of the closure, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the closure, showing the same in the applied position for closing the orifice of an automatic sprinkler, which is shown in section.

In the drawings, a indicates an automatic sprinkler and b my improved closure for closing the orifice oi the sprinkler. v

The sprinkler a hasithe usual orifice 4 and the annular lip 5 and may be any one oithe standard forms of sprinklers. y The closure b consists of a rod 6 having ahook-shapcd jaw 7 on one end adapted to hook under the annular I lip 5 of tho sprinkler, a circular enlargement 8 adjacent the end 7, a stopper 9 made preferably of soft rubber and secured to the enlargement 8 by a headed pin 10 in a position to close the orifice 4 in the sprinkler, a stop pin 11 secured centrally in the top of the rod, a flanged nut 12 on the opposite end of the rod, u. tubu- Patented J 2, 1907.

lar handle l3 on the 6 having-Elie oppositely-dis I posed hook-shaped jaw 14 adapted to hook under theannularlip 5 of the sprinkler and shaped to act as a cam on the lip to force the jaws apart, a longitudinal slot 15 which eritends in from the endof the handletqf the stop pin 11, an internal annular shoulder lfi iii the handle and a coiled spring 17 on the rod 6 intermediate i:

the flanged nut 12 on the rod 6 and theinternal an nular shoulder 16 on the handle 13, as shown in Fig. 3, 1n the use of my improved closure for automatic sprinklers the hook-shaped jaw 7 on the end of the closure is passed through the arms of the sprinkler and hooked under the lip 5 of the sprinkler. A downward movement of the handle 13 .now forces the stopper 9 into the orifice 4 of the sprinkler, closing the same,

and the jaw 14 through the tension oi the spring 17 snaps under the lip.5 of the sprinkler and securely iastens the closure to the sprinkler against the pressure of the water in the sprinkler.

Damage-to property by water is of frequent occur-- rence through the accidental opening of'sprinklers by means other than an actual confiagration'. By the use of'rny improved closure for sprinklers this damage by water is practically eliminated.

I do not wish to confine myself to the construction shown, as it is evident that other means could be used for detachably securing the stopper 9 in the orifice of the sprinkler, without materially affecting the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent;

A closure for automatic sprinklerscomprising a. rod l vlng a hookshuped Jaw on one end, a 'stopperconstru -ted pi'cicrublyof soft rubber and secured to the rod, a tubular handle on the rod having an internal nnnular shoulder, an oppositely-disposed hook-shaped jaw on the handle, a flange on the end of the rod in the handle and a coiled spring on the rod in the handle intermediate the shoulder in the handle and the flange on the rod, and menus for holding the hook-shaped jaws in ulinenxengas described.

in testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' WILLARD A. SHORT.

Witnesses ADA l). llaonu'rr, J. A. Mlntuu. 

